Self-propelled diving chamber



Dec. 5, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April l5, 1966 INVENTOR. EDWIN A.LINK AT TORNEY Dec. 5, 1967 E. A. LINK SELF-PROPELLED DIVING CHAMBER 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l5, 1966 INVENTOR. EDWIN .A LINK BY J/ATTORNEY DCC. 5, VE. A. LINK SELF-PROPELLED DIVING CHAMBER 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 15, 1956 INVENTOR.

' BY EDWIN A. LINK ATTORNEY United States Patent O M 3,356,055SELF-PROPELLED DIVING CHAMBER Edwin A. Link, Binghamton, N.Y., assignerto Ocean Systems, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 15, 1966,Ser. No. 542,812 1 Claim. (Cl. 114-16) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Asubmarine useful in connection with deep sea diving operations, whichhas a high degree of maneuverability. The submarine has a mainpropulsion unit adapted to swivel 180 degrees about a vertical axis inthe hull. In addition, a bow thruster and a reversible hovering motorand propeller unit are incorporated into the submarine. Aircraft-typecontrols are utilized to operate the three above-described propulsionunits.

This invention relates to diving and to a submersible self-propelledcraft and a control system for same. This invention is useful inpracticing the methods disclosed in my co-pending application, Ser. No.335,251, iiled Jan. 2, 1964, entitled, Underwater Capsule, now U.S.Patent 3,299,645. Y

With the increased interest in research and exploitation of the oceanbottom, a number of small submarines have been designed and built.Several of these are illustrated in Newsweek Magazine for Sept. 28,1965, pages 84 and 85.

A submarine designed to work on the ocean bottom in the support ofsalvage operations and other such tasks requires a degree ofmaneuverability not important to military submarines that generally shunthe bottom.

It is an object of this invention to provide a small submarine havingimproved maneuverability and full 3-axis control at zero speed. It isanother object of the invention to provide simplied aircraft-typecontrols whereby a single pilot may flexibly control all motions of thecraft. It is still another object of the invention to providey a smallsubmarine of the lock-out type in which the personnel spaces may besupplied either with air at normal atmospheric pressure or in thealternative with a highpressure breathing mixture, whereby the vehiclemay be used to transport pressurized divers, unpressurized observers, orboth, between a submarine chamber of the kind described in my co-pendingapplication Ser. No. 335,212, led Jan. 2, 1964, now Patent No.3,293,676, and a tender at the surface. In such service this submarineis a free swimming version of the diving chamber disclosed in mylabove-mentioned Underwater Capsule application.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction of thesubmarine, the combination of its elements and the arrangement of partswhich will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter set forth, andthe scope of the invention will be indicated in the claim. A feature ofthe invention by which the above objects are realized is a fullswiveling bow thruster rotatable 360 degrees around the longitudinalaxis of the craft. Another feature of the invention is a main propulsionunit at the stern which swivels 180 degrees horizontally from port tostarboard. A third feature of the invention is a stern hovering motorand propeller assembly to provide vertical control of the stern. Anotherfeature of the invention is a control wheel assembly which is rotated tocontrol the bow thruster and moved forward and backward to control thestern hovering motor taken together with foot pedals controlling thestern propulsion unit whereby aircraft-like controls are available foroperation either in the mode of an airplane or in the mode of a PatentedDec. 5, 1967 helicopter. A further feature of the invention is Iaconning tower 16 with a top hatch 28 to resist pressure from outside andan inner hatch 29 to withstand high pressure in the control chamber orfrom inside. A further feature of the invention, is a diving chamber 20with double hatches connecting it to the contnol chamber 22 and with adouble divers hatch communicating downward into the sea. Other objects,and features of the invention will be apprehended from the followingdetailed description taken in connection with the yaccompanying drawingsin which:

FIGS. 1a, 1b and 1c are Orthographie projections showing a generalarrangement diagram of the submarine, and

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the control system for the submarine.

The pressure hull of the submarine comprises a forward hull cylinder 10,a bow hemisphere 12, a diver compartment cylinder 11, a divercompartment forward hemisphere 13, a stern hemisphere 14, a transitionpiece 15 and a cylindrical conning tower 16. Dividing the pressure hullinto pressure-tight compartments, a diving chamber 20 and a pilots cabin22 is the hemispheric bulkhead portion 23. Hatches 24 and 25 are closedto maintain the divers chamber at higher than outside pressure. Hatches26 and 27, on the other hand, are closed to maintain the diving chamberat lower than outside pressure. The top hatch 28 on the conning tower 16is normally closed; but inner hatch 29 may be closed if a pressurizedpilot should desire to bring the craft to the surface with high pressurein the cabin 22.

By the methods disclosed in my above-mentioned copending applications itis possible for divers to work for extended times at depths of 300 feetand more. A submarine of the type described therein may be based withsuch divers at such a depth and with the hatches las provided may beused by them to descend to still greater depths or to rise to thesurface. It will be noted that when both compartments 20 and 22 areinternally pressurized to, for example, 300 feet, the operating depth ofthe submarine is thereby extended by the same 300 feet.

Attached to the stern hemisphere is a stern fairwater 30 which providesa smooth streamlined covering for the stern of the ship. The fairwateris not Water-tight and seawater ambient pressure is equalized at alltimes. It has cut outs 32, 34 for windows 36. Contained within thisfairing is a main spherical gas flask 42 having equitorial flanges 43 atwhich the cylindrical and conical sections of the stern fairwater arejoined. Fixed to the bottom of the craft are high-pressure gas cylinders50. Releasibly hanging between them are the main electric batteries 52enclosed in `a cylindrical pressure vessel 54. At the bow of the craftis a modified outboard motor drive unit 56 which pivots about thecenterline of the hull. The drive shaft for the propeller 57 passesthrough a seal 58 into the hull where it is connected to be driven by anelectric motor 59 within the hull. A second seal 66 carries the steeringshaft 61 through the hull to a small sprocket 62. The small sprocket isconnected by a stainless steel chain 63 to a larger sprocket 64 which isxed to and turns the unit 56.

At the aft end of the stern fairwater 40 is a vent 68 extendingvertically through the fairing. Located within the vent is a propeller70 driven by a flexible shaft 71 from a motor 72, these parts comprisingthe stern hovering unit. Rigged aft of the stern hovering unit supportedin bushings 75, 76 to rotate about a vertical axis Y-Y is the mainpropulsion -motor 80 having a multi-bladed fully shrouded propeller 82.The thrust axis of the main motor is rotatable about the vertical axisY-Y from starboard through dead aft to port and vice-versa under controlof hydraulic actuators (not shown). The motor is enclosed by a fairingsection 84 which also turns about 3 the axis YY; however, it is springloaded to remain aligned with the aft fairing 40 until the motor lS0 andpropeller 82 are turned about 20 to either side. From 20 to 90 thefairing 84 turns with the motor 80 and serves as shroud and protectionfor the main propulsion motor.

Access while surfaced is provided by the hatch 28 atop the conning tower16. Deck fairings 92 and 93 are provided to improve footing and surfacehandling capability.

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically the controls of the craft.

The manual controls are a wheel 100 which rotates 360 degrees and slidesforward and backward `as a splined tube 102 telescopes over the steeringshaft 61.

Turning the wheel rotates the bow thruster, normally pointed downwardland a horn button 103 on the wheel controls the bow thruster motor.Pressing the wheel forward depresses a horizontal control surface 104located in the wash of the main propeller 82 by means of a hydrauliccylinder 106 coupled to the tube 102 and a hydraulic actuator S withinthe fairing 40. Pressing the wheel hard forward engages an electricalcontact 110 which activates the stern hovering motor 72 to raise thestern. Conversely pulling the wheel back depresses the stern byelevating control surface 104 and reversing the motor 72 through contact111.

Foot pedals 112 and 114 through cylinders 116 and 11S and actuator 120control the swiveling of the main motor 80 and propeller 82. Main motorspeed is controlled by a throttle-like hand lever 122 forward forforward and "back for reverse.

With the controls as just outlined this craft has completecontrollability (except `for roll) -at any speed. It `can move forward,backward, up, down, or sidewards without turning and can turn withoutheadway.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efiiciently attained, andsince certain changes may be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained or shown in the laccompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic rand specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all staternents of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, rnight 4be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

A submarine comprising a hull having a bow and a stern, a mainpropulsion motor 4and propeller mounted as a unit and carried at thestern of said hull on bearings permitting swiveling degrees about avertical axis in said hull, a pair of foot pedals, control meansinterconnecting said foot pedals with said unit for controlling theswiveling thereof, a bow thruster comprising a motor and an auxiliarypropeller mounted at said bow and rotatable about the longitudinal axisof said hull, said motor being coupled to said propeller to tune it onan axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis whereby the thrust ofsaid auxiliary propeller may be directed to any direction perpendicularto said longitudinal axis, a steering wheel connected to said bowthruster for rotating same about s aid longitudinal axis, and a hoveringunit comprising a hovering propeller carried at said stern constrainedto rotate on a vertical axis, a reversible motor and transmission meansfor driving said hovering propeller, and control means interconnectingsaid reversible motor with said steering wheel whereby movement of saidsteering wheel in a forward direction causes said reversible motor todrive said hovering propeller in one direction while movement of saidsteering wheel in a backward direction causes said reversible motor todrive said hovering propeller in the opposite direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,352,922 9/1920 Sprague 114-16 X2,291,940 8/ 1942 Babcoke 114-16 2,433,189 12/1947 Amato 114-16.?2,519,453 8/1950 Goodman 114--16 X 2,685,858 8/1954 Harrison 1l4-l62,952,426 9/1960 Visser 244-83 3,158,123 11/1964 Froehlich 114-163,292,564 12/1966 Lehmann 114--16 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner.

